JUPEBUse of EnglishRegister and Usage

Choose the sentence in which the word in quotation marks is used correctly.

AHe is a man of very high 'principals'.
BThe school 'principle' addressed the students at assembly.
CThe 'principle' of the college resigned last week.
DThe 'principal' reason for the strike was the non-payment of salaries.CORRECT
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Why the answer is D, and why the others tempt you.
'Principal' as an adjective means main or chief, so 'the principal reason' is correct. 'Principle' is a noun meaning a fundamental rule or moral standard; it cannot name the head of a school. The sentence about 'high principals' reverses the pair, since a person's moral standards are principles.
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